What to do when job loss hits you!

Peter K. Studner - Author

Bam! You just lost your job. What’s the first thing you need to do? If you said resume, that’s
wrong! The first thing you need to do is mobilize your home base of operations, learn the ins and
outs of job search 2009, set up controls on your expenses and validate that the job you are going
for still exists in the job market!
Here are seven steps that will lead you to your objective of a new and better job:

1. Career Assessment – determine where you are in your career. Do not assume that the
job you just left is the same you will be looking for. You need a review of your skills,
accomplishments and career direction. The more precise you are in your job objective,
the easier your search. BUT, be sure to determine that the job you seek really exists in
the market place. You will need to investigate the job market to ensure you will not be
wasting your time. If you determine that there are no jobs that match your skills, you may
need to get training to be ready for other jobs.

2. Accomplishments are the backbone of any job-search campaign; discover what makes
you great. Think of yourself, not as a job seeker, but rather a marketer of skills. This
means that you must know what your skills are and have accomplishments that
demonstrate them to a prospective employer. Accomplishments will be used in your
resume, interviewing and salary negotiations. They will be your most valuable tool. Take
time to make an inventory of your accomplishments for all your previous jobs.

3. Resume – your resume should not be a job description of previous positions. A good
resume does not tell people what you do; it should tell people what you have done!
Entry-level candidates have to show potential through course work, interests/hobbies,
part-time jobs and community contributions. Before going out on the market, be sure to
test your resume with friends and professionals. It should be crystal clear as to what you
can do for your next employer. Avoid writing a generic resume that covers a multitude of
positions. There are no generic jobs and your reader will not make the connection you
seek. A future employer wants skills to match a specific opening. Building your 20-
Second resume into the first part of your resume can be the hook to get you that all-
important interview. Remember – the best you can get from any resume is an invitation
for a personal meeting.

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4. Market Plan – your tools will include research on companies and people, model letters
and resumes for approaching recruiters and companies, and lists of target companies
(companies you want to consider). It is important to know where job leads come from:
recruiters (including the Internet) – if your salary is less than $50K, you have a 10-15%
chance of locating an opportunity (but you will be competing with hundreds or perhaps
thousands of other job seekers), if your salary is greater than $70K, your chances drop to
less than 5%; associations, newspaper classifieds, government agencies – 5-15%;
networking – greater than 70%!

5. Networking is the art of penetrating the hidden job market. Smart job seekers find job
opportunities before they go public. The only way is to get out and meet people. Great
networking techniques can be quickly learned to make a pro of even a novice. And, don’t
forget learning the ins and outs of social networking.

6. Telemarketing yourself is the art of making job-related appointments by telephone.
Knowing how to get through the switchboard, past the secretary and to your target
person is what telemarketing is all about. Learn this technique and you will speed up your
transition. Good news! These techniques are easily learned.

7. Interviewing, Salary Negotiations and Action Plan – Before you begin your interviews,
learn the dynamics of what goes on in an interview before you begin. Your toughest
question “Tell me about yourself” can be a snap if you learn a 2-miniute commercial
about your history and skills. Learn Six Magic Steps for controlling any interview and you
will always be in charge of even the toughest of interviews. Salary negotiations are easy
when you have sold yourself as the company’s choice. Clue: wait for them to make an
offer before stating a figure. An action plan will help you with the day-to-day activity you
will need to carry you forward with your campaign.
The key for any job seeker or career changer is to be prepared before you go out on the job
market. You will never get a second chance to make a brilliant first impression!

For more information about career transition and outplacement, please contact us at
www.SuperJobSearch.com/html/results

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Peter K. Studner is a career counselor and former chief executive of international
companies. He is the author of the award-winning manual, Super Job Search, published
by Jamenair Ltd. Now in its third edition with more than 300,000 copies sold. Studner is
president of Peter K. Studner Associates, Inc., an outplacement firm, located in
California. For additional vital job-search resources, consult: www.SuperJobSearch.com
Copyrighted © Peter K. Studner 2009
http://www.linkedin.com/in/peterstudner